Portable mill



May 23, 1933.

H. J. CLARK PORTABLE MILL Filed Jan. 14,- 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l j/ Lay May 23, 1933. I H, CLARK 1,910,519

PORTABLE MILL Filed Jan. 14, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /1 uen far Patented May 2?, 1933 E STATES masia HOMER J. CLARK, OF DES MOINES, IOWA PORTABLE MILL Application filed January 14, 1931.

'lhs wention relates to improvements in portable mills of that type having a pneumatic conveyor and a separating hopper whereby the milled material may be separated 5 from the air of the pneumatic conveyor.

rlhe object of this invention is to provide simple, durable and inexpensive means whereby the separatingl hopper may be easily and quickly elevated to various heights to accommodate i agons or bins for receiving material from the hopper, and also to provide means whereby the hopper may be adjusted to various positions relative to the mill so that the mill may be more readily and quickly located for operation.

liflore specifically it is the object of my in- `vention to provide in connection with a portable mill, improved adjustable means whereby the separating hopper may be easily and quickly adjusted various elevations through a considerable variation in height, and in connection therewith a telescopic tube for conveying material from the mill to the hopper to accommodate the various elevated positions of the hopper without having to add pipe sections as the hopper is moved to various elevated positions, or to remove sections as the hopper is lowered.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the Various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of my improved mill, the truck for supporting the frame not being illustrated.

Figure 2 is a` detail sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a top view of the rear end of the mill supporting frame and of the separating hopper and the mechanism for supporting the same.

Figure l is a detail view of the windlass for elevating and lowering the separating hopper.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of said Windlass; and

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the Serial No. 508,610.

mechanism for bracing the lower end of the hopper to its upright support.

Referring to the drawings, have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate the supporting frame on which the mill 11 is mounted, 55 the said mill being of the ordinary construction. An engine 12 is supported on the forward end of the frame 10, and provides means for driving the mill in the usual manner.

Secured to the delivery end of the mill 11 60 is a fan casing 13 which is also of ordinary construction, said casing having an upwardly pro]ecting discharge spout 14.

The rear end of the frame 10 is provided with a cross member 15, said member l5 hav- 65 ing a portion 16 projecting outwardly from the side of the frame member 10. Secured to the front face of the outer ond of the member 16 is an upright pipe 17, the lower end of the said pipe 17 being secured to the member 70 16 by means of a U-bolt 18. The upper end of the pipe 17 is supported in an upright position by means of suitable braces 19 and 20, the upper ends of the braces 19 and 2O being e secured to a bracket 21 which is clamped near the upper end of the pipe 17.

Slidably and rotatively mounted in the pipe 17 is a pipe 22 having elbows 23 and 24C on its upper end, the elbow 24 supporting a downwardly extending member 25, said member being secured to bands 26 which are in turn secured to the upper end of the hopper 27, the said hopper 27 having the form of an inverted cone, the upper end of which terminates in a cylindrical cap portion 28. The lower end of the hopper 27 terminates in a small cylindrical portion 29, said portion having a band 30 to which hooks 3l are secured, said hooks serving to support the upper end of a sack when so desired.

The band 30 is connected to one end of a brace bar 32, which has its opposite end detachably connected to a band 33 by means of a bolt 34, said band 33 being slidably mount- 95 ed on the outer surface ofthe tube 17. A brace 35 has one end connected to the brace 32, and its opposite end to a suitable bracket 36 secured to one side of the hopper 27, the said brace 35 serving to support the brace wardly with the pipe 22.

32, when the brace is disconnected from the band Slidably supported on the tube 22 is a band 37, similar to the hand 33 and adapted to receive the forward end ot the brace 32 when the hopper 27 has been elevated to such an extent that the band 33 engages the under surface oi" the bracket 21, at which time the pin 34 is removed trom the band 33 and the brace 32, after which the brace is connected to the band 37 by means ot the same pin.

As the hopper 27 is elevated the pipe 22 is slid upwardly through the pipe 17 and is supported against downward movement by means et a pin 38 passing through one of a series oat openings 39 in the pipe 17, and a eorrespoi'iding opening 40 in the pipe 22. Any further upwari'l movement of the hopper 27 will cause the band 37 to travel up inasmuch as the pipe 22 is rotatively mounted in the pipe 17 it will readily be seen that the hopper 27 may be swung` about the pipe 17 as an aXis to assume various operative positions, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3.

A hook 41 hasI one end pivot-ally connected to the trame member 15, and its opposite end to ay plate 42 secured to the brace 32, as clearly illustrated in Figure said hook 4l serving to leek the hopper against swingingl movement.

For elevating and lowering the hopper 27 ll have provided the 'following mechanism. Secured to the :trent tace of the member 15 is a pair ot upwardly projecting pipes 43 secured in said upright position by means ot suitable braces 44. Slidably mounted in each of the pipes 43 is a pipe 45, the upper ends of the pipes 45 beingl connected by a horizontal portion 45, the pipes 45 being provided with openings 47 and the upperf eues of the pipes 43 with openings 48.

Pins 49 provide means Jfor. locking the pipes 45 in various elevated positions, the said pipes 43 and 45 and 46 serving' to form what l shall term a. dei-rick.

1 pulley 50 is supported from the member 45 and is designed to receive a cable 51, one end of which is connected to the bolt 52 connecting the brace members 32 and 35. The opposite end of the cable 51 is wound on the windlass 53 carried by a crank shaft 54 which is rota-tively mounted in suitable bearings 55. The shaft 54 is provided with a ratchet 56 and a pawl 57 for locking the windlass 53 against rotation in one direction.

rlhus l have provided means whereby the hopper 27 may be elevated to various heights by simply rotating the windlass 53, the pawl 57 serving to temporarily support the hopper in its elevated position, the hopper being more rigidly supported by means of the pin 38 above described.

rlhe cylindrical portion 28 of' the hopper 27 is provided with a pair oi boots 58 for delivering the material to the hopper, which boots are of ordinary construction. A cap 59 is provided Jfor one ot' the boots.

A telescoping pipe G0 is supported on the spout .14, having an elbow 61 on its upper end, said elbow making connection with a horizontal pipe portion 62, one end of which is detachably connected with one of the boots 58 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. rlillois pipe provides means for conveying material. from the blower 13 to the hopper 27.

rlhe boots 58 are so located that the hopper may be operatively connected with the blower when in two or more of its positions of movement, by simply disconnecting the pipe 62 from one of the boots 58 and applying it to the other one of the boots 58. The pipe 62 may also be telescopic, if so desired, or may be made in a number of single sections of the proper length to accommodate the hopper when in various positions ot its swinging movement.

By telescoping the vertical pipe 60 it will readily be seen that the hopper may be adjusted to various elevated positions, and at the same time maintain a continuous operative connection between the blower and the hopper.v the position illustrated in solid lines being the one most often used, so that it is only on rare occasions that the hopper has to be swung to the dotted line position and the pipe 62 disconnected.

The cap 59 provides means for closing the unused boot 58, as the cap is adapted to it either of the boots.

Thus it will be seen l have provided in connection with a portable mill having a separating hopper adapted to separate the ground feed from the air used in delivering the feed to the hopper and for accumulating a predetermined amount of said feed, improved means for supporting the hopper whereby the hopper may be adjusted to various elevated positions through a consider able rang-e of height, and whereby the hopper may be quickly and easily adjusted to its various elevated positions, and whereby the hopper may be liXed in said elevated positions in a somewhat rigid manner.

Furthermore, means is provided whereby the hopper may be swung through a horir,contal plane to various operative positions to meet the working requirements and permit the machine to be placed in proper operati ve position between the receiving bin, or wagon and the material to be fed to the grinder.

By providing the elbows 23 and 24 and the downwardly extending member 25 for supporting the upper end of the hopper 27, I have provided means whereby a rigid connection may be made between the upper end ot the pipe 22 and said hopper, and at the same time permit the upper end of the hopper IIO to be lowered to position substantially level with the upper' end of the pipe 17 while by disconnecting the bar 32 from the band 33 and connecting the same to the band 37, it will be seen that the amount of elevation of the hopper may be greatly increased with the comparatively short pipe 17. The lower end of the pipe 22 normally projects below the lower end of the pipe a considerable distance, permitting the hopper and the mechanism for elevating and lowering the same to be supported at a comparatively low level, so that the mill may be moved through the comparatively low doorways or" barns or bins, or ben-cath the overhanging branches of trees.

In like manner the derrick for supporting the pulley 52 is also adjustable for the same reason.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support, a mill thereon, a separating hopper, adjustable means for supportinO' said hopper to permit the hopper to be elevated and lowered, means for elevating and lowering said hopper, a blower for delivering the material from said mill to said hopper, and a telescoping pipe connecting said blower to said hopper, whereby the blower and hopper will be operatively connected with the hopper at various elevated positions.

2. In a device oi' the class described, the combination of a. support, a mill thereon, a separating hopper, an adjustable derricl, adjustable means for supporting said hopper, means carried by said derrick for elevating and lowering said hopper, said means including a block and tackle, a blower connected to said mill for delivering material from said mill to said hopper, and a pipe operatively connecting said blower and hopper.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support, a mill thereon, a separating hopper, an adjustable derrick, an adjustable support for said hopper, means carried by said derrick for elevating and lowering said hopper, said means including a block and tackle, a blower for delivering material from said mill to said hopper, and a telescoping pipeoperatively connecting said blower and hopper.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support, a mill thereon, a separating hopper, vertically adjustable means for supporting said hopper, means for pivoting said hopper to said adjustable support to permit said hopper to be swung laterally through a horizontal plane, and means for delivering material from said mill to said hopper.

5. In a device oit' the class described, the combination of a support, a mill thereon, a separating hopper, a vertically adjustable hopper supporting means, means for pivotally mounting said hopper to said supporting means to permit the hopper to swing horizontally to a number of operative positions, a blower adapted to receive material from said mill, a pipe connecting said blower to said hopper when in any of its adjusted positions, and means for elevating and lowering said hopper.

6. In a device oi the class described, a support, a mill carried by said support, a telescopic and vertically arranged hopper support, a separating hopper carried by the movable member of said support, a collar slidably mounted on the lined member of said support, a brace carried by the lower end of said hopper, means for detachably connecting said brace to said collar, a second collar slidably mounted on the movable member of said support, said brace being designed to be attached to the said second collar when the hopper has been moved upwardly a predetermined distance, and a blower for delivering material from said mill to said hopper.

7. In a device of the class described, a support, a mill carried by said support, a telescopic and vertically arranged hopper support, a separating hopper carried by the movable member of said support, a collar slidably mounted on the liXed member of said support, a brace carried by the lower end of said hopper, means for detachably connecting said brace to said collar, a second collar slidably mounted on the movable member of said support, said brace being designed to be attached to said second collar when the hopper has been moved upwardly a predetermined distance, a blower for delivering material from said mill to said hopper, a telescopic derricl, and means carried by the movable end of said telescopic derrick for elevating and lowering said hopper.

Des Moines, Iowa, January 8, 1931.

HOMER J. CLARK. 

